Marine growth is a constant maintenance issue for anyone that owns a dock, boat, or other aquatic vessel or structure. The accumulation of algae and invertebrates (mussels, barnacles, limpets) can cause significant expense for operators of commercial shipping in particular. Marine growth can result in greater wear and tear, significant increase in fuel consumption if not treated (10%-15%) and substantial maintenance costs. Also of concern is the transportation of invasive plant and animal species from their native regions to other areas through commercial shipping.
The most expedient way of cleaning the underside of a boat hull is to haul the boat out of the water so that access can be had to all of the under surfaces of the boat apart from the water in which they are usually submerged. However, hauling a boat out of the water is expensive, and doing so every time the hull needs to be cleaned, which is once every three to four weeks, would be prohibitive.
Attempts have been made to address the marine growth problem by using anti-fouling paints on surfaces, such as ships hulls, likely to be affected. Many anti-fouling paints, however, have been found to be damaging to the environment because they contain heavy metals and are considered to be pesticides. Many countries have banned or are considering implementing bans on the use of such anti-fouling paints and even on entry of ships bearing anti-fouling paints into the country's waterways. Further, anti-fouling paints can be expensive to purchase and apply and require re-application periodically. Even so, these paints and other similar protective coatings continue to be used and must be cleaned, with each cleaning releasing environmentally harmful contaminants from the surface of the paints.
For larger ships, mechanical scrubbing techniques utilizing brush cleaning machines or the like have been used to remove marine growth while the vessel is in the water. For smaller vessels such as recreational boats, the cleaning procedures are typically performed by divers using hand-held tools including hand-held scrubbing pads and brushes. For larger scale cleaning operations on commercial vessels, sophisticated hydraulic cleaning equipment and heavy duty scrubbers may be operated from one or more specially-fitted workboats in conjunction with trained divers, or remote controlled self-propelled vehicles may be used. Regardless of the scrubbing mechanism, the scrubbing action can release particulates into the water, with the risk of dissemination of invasive flora or fauna, or chemicals, including heavy metals from anti-fouling paints, which can harm local marine life and impact water quality. Some areas may prohibit or restrict the use of such equipment due to the environmental effects on the marine life in areas where the mechanical cleaning occurs.
The need remains for a device and system for cleaning boat hulls and other submerged surfaces in marine environments that provide effective scrubbing capability while minimizing the release of particulates and other pollutants into the water. The present invention is directed to such a need.